You looked at an Arsenal starting XI and thought, good, that's the team I would have picked?
I can not remember any games under Emery where I recall thinking this although dare I say it, I have a nagging feeling there was one single game where he came close (maybe Fulham?) That's one out of seventy-eight games he managed though.
Freddie has failed twice now and it has cost us twice. Xhaka, Ozil & Kolasinac starting both games leading to; a loss and one where we were lucky to scrape a draw, is no coincidence. Granted Xhaka and Kolasinac did not have their worst ever Arsenal performances tonight - that's also sort of the point, standards have fallen so much that a lot of our fans have forgotten what a good performance from a midfielder looks like and a just 'OK' performance from these players is revered when in reality it wasn't good enough to have any meaningful or significant impact on the result of the game finishing in our favour.
Tierney should have started both games, Kolasinac worked hard and played alright tonight but Kieran's crossing is absolutely pinpoint and he put the ball straight on Martinelli's head within a few minutes of coming on, Kolasinac simply doesn't have that level of accuracy or in general the footballing ability of Tierney, that much is obvious. I also don't understand why he went for Sokratis instead of playing Chambers next to Luiz and we desperately need Holding back and to sign a quality CB in January... Saka, Ozil and an out-of-form Lacazette chosen over Pepe & Martinelli has been equally stupendous as was dropping Guendouzi tonight.
Maybe when our manager can actually pick the best team (even just from the players that are fit/available) then we might stand a chance of winning one again.
FYI: ' Lacazette lifted the mood by climbing above the Brighton defence to head his side level after Mesut Ozil's first Premier League assist since February.' - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50582066
The FYI also stands for: F**k You If - you still support Ozil.
When was the last time...
posted on 6/12/19
Other than that PEA, the rest of the team is midtable standards. Only Tierney, Martinelli, and Guendouzi seem to be players you could hope to get better and be top class. Holding, as much as I rate him (probably your best CB), is often injured and can't be relied upon. There's no point having even a world class player if he's often injured.
A lot of the other players would be squad players or back up to the back up for your best teams under Wenger. The squad needs an overhaul but will the fans be patient enough to deal with it? PEA, for example doesn't have many years left at the top. So will need to have a replacement ready sooner than later. Most of your back line and midfield need replacing.
On top of that, the structure above the manager needs to be sorted and fans need to temper their expectations. One just has to look at Everton and Leicester and their contrasting fortunes. One took a long term approach and managed to get the right coach in and the other gave into fans demands and went for the flavour of the month approach. Even big clubs, you can look at United. Much like you and taking a long term approach as previous managers made a mess, though the system above the manager hasn't been resolved.
One other thing, the fear factor goes when you go through such periods. Teams don't see you as the team of old. Even if the name is still big. Liverpool have got the fear factor now. City has it diminished this season and teams are more confident against them. Such a thing helps teams that are at the top.
posted on 6/12/19
I agree about the fear factor. It changes the waybyeams approach games against you.
Liverpool did not have the fear factor for a long time except for some short stints, like when we had Suarez and the team was like a machine. Klopp has managed to bring that back.
posted on 6/12/19
It doesn’t matter what team gets picked. Our squad is garbage and no starting XI is gonna please anybody. Just have to accept that this is where we are now.
posted on 6/12/19
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7761917/amp/Mesut-Ozil-angrily-yells-Alexandre-Lacazette-Arsenal-defeat-Brighton.html
I wish Ozil had channelled that passion constructively during the game
posted on 6/12/19
was it 2003...?
posted on 6/12/19
comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 17 seconds ago
was it 2003...?
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Mind you...you had a team of draw specialists even then...
posted on 6/12/19
Pretty much the same team who went unbeated for 22 games last season. It's not about the players or the formation,it's the Arsenal DNA of being nice and not working hard that Wengers instilled into the club for decades. Once 'that' defence had gone and the likes of Vieira etc, we were doomed!